One of the things many people complain about when they look in the mirror is the size of their waistline. Whatever your nickname for it is – a pooch, muffin top or beer belly – chances are you want to find a way to get rid of it. If you’re one of those folks that wants to get a slimmer stomach, you’ll love learning these 6 hacks for flatter abs.
Flat Abs Hack #1: Choose Your Eating Window
A very popular style of eating nowadays is intermittent fasting. And there’s good reason, too!
Studies have shown that intermittent fasting can be a safe, effective way to lose weight and improve metabolism. The easiest part of it revolves around fasting and eating during prescribed times.
Conventional weight loss ideas have touted eating 3 times a day plus small snacks in between meals in order to fire up metabolism.
However, this is not always effective for everyone. Moreover, portion sizes (think calories) are easily far larger than necessary.
Once you’ve chosen the hours during the day that you will eat, don’t eat outside that window of time.
For example, say you eat between noon and 6pm. Then you stop eating for the day.
Stay away from late night eating if you can because that is definitely not an ideal time for your body to have to be processing food.
This simple hack is a safe and easy thing to encourage weight loss. For added help, try brushing your teeth after you last eat. That fresh mouth feeling will help cut the temptation for any more treats.
You may want to try changing your evening schedule, especially if your daily ending revolves around food and tv. Try going for a walk or finding another activity that keeps you away from the kitchen.
Whenever you start something new, it will be a challenge. But once you stick to the plan, this easy hack will become your easiest flat ab habit.
Flat Abs Hack #2: Watch Your Carbs
You don’t need to eliminate carbs completely from your diet, but learning to reduce the amount you eat will help you flatten your tummy. Also, be aware of the differences between simple carbs and complex carbs.
What Are Simple Carbs?
Simple carbs are found in many foods like fruit, milk/milk products, candy, sugar, sodas, and processed foods. They are quickly broken down in the body for immediate energy.
However, if you can’t burn off what you’re eating, you’ll quickly pack on the pounds.
What Are Complex Carbs?
It is always better to choose complex carbs because they contain fiber and nutrients which help make them filling and slower to digest. These carbs are a better option for those wanting to lose weight because they help control blood sugar spikes after eating.
Try switching out white bread for whole wheat, or replacing white rice with brown rice or quinoa. Dump sugary, processed cereals for hot oatmeal or try adding in beans or peas to your next meal.
Cut back on your carb portion size when you eat. For example, instead of using two slices of bread, opt for an open-faced sandwich instead.
Also, when snack time hits, try replacing your usual chips or crackers for a small piece of fruit with a handful of almonds, or some fresh cut vegetables with hummus.
These tips are lifestyle changes that can be used to help you melt your abs over the long haul.
Flat Abs Hack #3: Increase Your Fiber Intake
North Americans in particular, tend to not eat enough fiber each day.
Why Is Fiber Important For Weight Loss?
If you want to lose weight, studies have shown that eating more fiber can help you lose belly fat. Soluble fiber helps to fill you up which can help reduce appetite.
Fiber is also beneficial for helping to regulate good bacteria in the gut.
One simple way to get more fiber is to turn your side salad into a meal of its own. Add in protein to all those greens and you’ve got a healthy, guilt free dinner.
Incorporate vegetables and/or fruits at every meal. Add spinach to your eggs, add peppers to your sandwiches and have a sweet potato instead of fries. Choose fresh berries for dessert.
The healthy benefits of fruits and vegetables are too numerous to list, but adding more will help you shed those pounds and fill you up at the same time.
Flat Abs Hack #4: Drink More Water
It is essential to drink more water throughout the day for weight loss. Many times dehydration can actually disguise itself as hunger pangs, which can lead you to eat unnecessarily.
Why Is It Important To Drink Water For Weight Loss?
Studies have shown that drinking water can help to reduce your appetite, increase your metabolism and make the benefits of exercise more effective.
How Much Water Should I Drink A Day To Lose Weight?
There really is no cookie-cutter answer as to how much water you should drink each day. However, most science suggests 64 oz. / 8 cups / 1.89 L per day.
Drinking more water is an easy way to help promote weight loss. You will feel better as well because proper hydration is essential for bodily functions.
How To Drink More Water?
Try drinking a glass of water before you eat your meals. This pre-filling will help hydrate while suppressing your overall appetite.
Drink water over sugary sodas and juices. If you regularly consume sodas, dessert coffees or fruit juices, you are packing on unwanted calories that will sabotage your weight loss efforts.
Bring your water bottle with you so that you always have water wherever you go. Keeping water in your vehicle or at your desk will help you power through the day.
Related: Drinks That Help You Lose Belly Fat – 7 Easy Things To Try
Flat Abs Hack #5: Substitute Refined Sugar
Refined sugar is found in almost everything packaged. Those extra calories can pack on the pounds.
So instead of reaching for processed sugary foods, trying swapping them out for natural sugars in fruit when you need something sweet.
Instead of eating a candy bar, eat a piece of fresh fruit. All the fiber, vitamins and minerals in fruit will help you get healthier without sacrificing your waistline.
Try to avoid packaged foods with high fructose corn syrup or white sugar. These will work against your abs.
Stay away from white sugar if you can. Many recipes can be found that use brown rice syrup, maple syrup and even dates as excellent substitutions.
But at the end of the day, sugar is sugar, and too much of it will not help your diet.
Related: How To Control Sugar Addiction – Get Started Now
Flat Abs Hack #6: Get Regular Exercise
Although flattening your abs is about 80 percent dependent upon the foods and drinks you consume, getting regular exercise is also important.
In order to maximize your efforts, aim for 3-4 workouts per week. Find something that you enjoy, so that you will stick with it long term.
Cardiovascular exercise that gets your heart rate pumping for at least 30 minutes is the most effective at burning fat. Things like power walking, dancing, swimming, and cycling are very efficient at fat burning.
Stomach vacuums are also very effective for toning the belly area. Moderate weight resistant exercises also help to build muscle which helps you burn fat.
Mostly importantly, when you find exercises that you like to do you will start to see the positive changes in your body and health.
More Easy Hacks For a Flatter Belly
You may enjoy the following video which shares more easy to follow hacks for a flatter belly. Remember that these simple tips done consistently add up to big results.
Final Thoughts on Hacks For Flatter Abs
This article has covered some very simple, easy to follow daily hacks that you can implement now for flatter abs. Your level of achievement is only limited by your commitment and level of consistency.
Flatter abs can be yours. Keep focussed, stay determined and achieve the results you want! If you have any other easy hacks for flatter abs that have worked for you, please share them in the comments below.
Hey, hey,
It’s that time of the year for me to try and lose some weight before the summer. Wanted some information because it is getting difficult now, happy I ran into this post. While I have been doing the Intermittent fasting I had no idea about the fiber intake and complex carbs. I knew diet was important, but never paid attention to those food details, was just avoiding the usual bad suspects haha, thank you for all this information, will use this as my guide now.
Hi there…so glad you enjoyed the article. Good luck with your weight loss journey and please let us know if these tips helped you reach your goal. Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
This is a very helpful article on how to have a flatter abs, I think that most people especially when we were young, having a flat abdomen is fundamental and we start doing diets and different sets of exercises in order to be able to have a flat abdomen and we do not realize that by applying these 6 tips mentioned here in this article we can get it more easily, from my experience I see that we always lose motivation for not having the right mindset ldo you any tips on how to stay motivated and have the right mindset? so we don’t loose our goal to have a flatter abs.
Thank you
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the article. Flatter abs are something anyone can work towards with consistency and a plan. I do have many ideas to share with regards to mindset, so I will have to incorporate that in a future post. Thanks for dropping by!